Stories That Stay With You

The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common

A guest mentioned to the doorman that he had been out fishing that day, and caught a 200-pound yellow fin tuna. The guest said that the fish was in his cooler in the car and asked the doorman if it would be possible to get some extra ice.

The doorman quickly volunteered and offered to do much more than that. The assistant front desk manager took the cooler to the kitchen where the cook supervisor cleaned the fish for the guest. This was no small task. After much work, he cut the meat, and broke it down into smaller pieces. Given the size of the fish, this was not easy.

The cook supervisor went a step further by cleaning the guest’s cooler and organizing the small pieces of fish in ice for him to take home. The beautiful piece of tuna was now ready to cook once the guest arrived home. The guest was "wowed" by the entire experience. The hotel took his simple request – delivering more ice - and managed to anticipate his needs and exceed his expectations.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas

The culinary team at the hotel had their work cut out for them when they learned about an upcoming wedding for a Russian family. The executive chef and specialty chef worked diligently to create an authentic Russian menu for the bride.

The bride came to the hotel for a tasting and sampled all of the chefs' creations. She expressed how wonderful and authentic all of the dishes were, but the executive chef could tell she was not entirely satisfied. The chefs spoke to her about her favorite Russian dishes and she mentioned how all of them were prepared by her grandmother. After learning this, the chefs asked if it would be possible to visit her grandmother and learn the recipes directly from her. The bride-to-be ecstatically agreed to arrange a visit to her grandmother's home.

The two chefs spent an entire day learning all of the grandmother's secret authentic Russian recipes. The team of three created a Russian feast of Piroshki buns, Olivie salad, and Napoleon cake. When the lesson was complete, the chefs were confident they could now create the perfect Russian menu for the guests' wedding.

The guest blogged about her experience saying, "This is a day I know we will never forget. I want to give a special thank you to The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas for making my wedding planning process such an incredible experience. We appreciate everything you do. Your staff truly goes above and beyond the rest. I cannot wait for the wedding day!"

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street

A large group was staying at the hotel on the Club Level. For many of these guests, this was their first visit to China. They were curious about Chinese culture, and seemed particularly intrigued by some of the food offerings in the Club Lounge. One morning, while eating breakfast, they kept commenting on the fried dumplings, asking questions like "How do you make Chinese dumplings" and "What's the filling inside these dumplings?"

The Guest Recognition manager answered the questions, but then came up with a unique idea to "wow" the guests. She thought it would be fun to organize a home-style dumpling class. The Club team could take the guests through the entire process step-by-step, from kneading the dough to preparing the filling and sautéing the dumplings to, of course, sampling them.

The Guest Recognition manager shared her idea with her team, and they immediately got to work to make it happen. She sent out an invitation to all of the guests. One day later, more than 10 guests confirmed to join the event. The Chinese kitchen also provided support by supplying the equipment and preparing the dumpling filling and dough.

On the day of the big event, the Club team set up a special cocktail reception for the guests with a presentation of wine, champagne, beer and soft drinks. Guests were walked through the process, and they all got to work making their own special dumplings. Other Ladies and Gentlemen stepped in to serve the guests, take photos and make the evening a success.

The guests had a fantastic time. One of them commented that it was not only a fun evening, but also a successful team builder for her group, "I'm very appreciative of what you did. It's amazing; it helped me to build my team - it's great!"

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Abama

The activity coordinator in the Guests Relations department at The Ritz-Carlton, Abama was teaching a class for children and noticed that one of them had a real passion for ballet. Over the week, the two developed a friendship and the activity coordinator even came in before her shift every day to give the girl a private ballet class. She wanted to do something special for the young guest, and decided to teach her a special dance for her parents. She arranged for the hotel's Morocco Jazz Club to have special music and lighting for the performance.

On their last day, the little girl's parents picked her up in the Jazz Club and - to their surprise - found their daughter all dressed up and ready to perform. The couple was very grateful and could not believe how much love and passion the activity coordinator had put into making their daughter's stay so memorable. To complete the experience, the activity coordinator gave the guests a CD with pictures and videos of their daughter’s performance so they could share it with family and friends on their return home

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing

A couple from the United States traveled to Beijing with their six-month-old baby girl. This was the couple's first child and they were understandably nervous about traveling with her on a 16-hour flight. They called the hotel before their trip to inquire about babysitting services and the hotel's facilities. When they arrived in Beijing, the hotel gave them a warm welcome to put them at ease. The family was escorted to their room, where the hotel had set up a baby tub with rubber ducks, a baby bottle steamer, milk warmer and a night light for the guests. The hotel also placed a humidifier in the room since the family might not be used to the extremely dry conditions in Beijing. The family was overwhelmed by the hotel's attention to detail.

However, upon arrival, the young baby developed a rash on her neck and body. The babysitter and room attendant came to assist on her day off. She took the initiative to find out the hours of a pediatric hospital nearby. She knew it would be challenging to get an appointment on a weekday with no notice, and found out that if the couple wanted to see a doctor, they would have to wait in line. So, she went above the call of duty and woke up at 2:00 a.m. to obtain a number and a spot in line for the guests. She then waited in line at the hospital for more than six hours. The guests arrived and only had to wait 15 minutes to see the pediatrician. The parents broke down in tears, and were very touched by the babysitter's efforts to treat them like family and the genuine care from the team. Upon departure, they noted that this was their first Ritz-Carlton experience, but definitely not their last.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

A trainee at the concierge desk received a phone call from a guest a few minutes before noon. The guest said that her luggage had been lost by the airline and that she needed a formal dress for a function that evening and a business suit for her morning meeting. Unfortunately, the local stores did not carry the guest's size. The chief concierge immediately contacted the local tailor and arranged for him to meet with the guest for an urgent fitting. The guest was very grateful and delighted to see the tailor who rushed off to make the outfits and have them packaged and returned to the guest by 4:30 p.m. that day.

In the meantime, two other concierge staff members followed up on the guest's lost luggage to ensure it arrived the next morning before the guest left for her next destination. Housekeeping also arranged an emergency kit for the guest with pajamas and toiletries and even a small bottle of perfume. The guest was overwhelmed with gratitude and, with tears in her eyes, thanked the entire team for their resourcefulness.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

A guest wished to express his gratitude for a great experience during a recent stay at the hotel. The guest explained that he had told the assistant manager on the Club Level that his wife loved the Spaghetti Bolognese served at a hotel in Paris. The guest said that it would be wonderful if hotel could replicate that experience in San Francisco. In an effort to provide an exceptional experience, the assistant manager provided the chefs in the Terrace Restaurant and in-room dining kitchen with the number for the hotel in Paris.

The chefs were able to obtain the recipe and recreate the special dish for the guest and his wife. Room service delivered the perfectly prepared meal to the delight of the guest's wife.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey

A young couple ordered two Mai Tais from the hotel bartender. They told her that they were "pretending to be in Hawaii" as they had planned a honeymoon at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. However, they had to postpone those plans as the groom discovered he had cancer and would need to begin chemotherapy in a few days. A lounge server overheard this and called the overnight manager to see if he could put something special in their room - perhaps rose petals or chocolate-covered strawberries. When he heard their story, the manager said to give him 20 minutes and delay the couple in returning to their room.

The overnight manager called back a little later and requested to make the couple two tropical drinks. He presented the couple with a pineapple on a plate with a cheerful "Aloha!" and informed them that they had to move to the "Kapalua" room. When the guests opened the door, they were astounded to see their room transformed into a tropical paradise. Orchids covered the floor. Beautiful fish were everywhere. Japanese lamps glowed in the bathroom, and a fishing net was draped over the bed. There were shells and sand over the nightstands. The manager took pictures of the happy couple in "Hawaii," which he printed and enlarged for them as a memento of their stay.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia

During the winter of 2009, The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia faced the ultimate challenge: planning a wedding, in four hours, during a crippling snowstorm. The drama started early on a Saturday morning. The bride and groom had planned an off-site wedding about a half hour outside of the city. Many of the guests were visiting from Australia and staying at the hotel. However, due to a major blizzard and hazardous road conditions, they were trapped in Philadelphia with no means of getting to the big event. All transportation companies were completely shut down and the wedding, two years in the making, was about to be cancelled.

At 9:00 a.m., the bride and groom asked the concierge if they could relocate their wedding to the Grand Ballroom. Within four hours, the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia had prepared a full-blown wedding on-site. Everything from soup to dessert, personalized menus, wedding cake, flowers, special lighting, an eight-piece band and photographer were in place thanks to all who braved the storm to come to work and assist with this impromptu event. There were other heroes, too. The wedding cake vendor was in the city and attempted to deliver the cake to the hotel. When it arrived, it was cracked in three places. The hotel's pastry chef rebuilt the entire cake one hour before the reception began.

The bridal couple had a suite at the nearby hotel that evening. During the reception, the Director of Banquets and the Director of Meetings and Special Events took a picture of the happy couple and placed it in a silver Ritz-Carlton frame. They both trudged through 18 inches of snow to the couple's hotel for the evening and had the gift, along with a personalized wedding card from all the employees, placed in the guest room to surprise the couple when they arrived. This spectacular story landed on the front pages of newspapers throughout Philadelphia with headlines such as "Wedded Blizz."

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow

One spring morning, the Club Concierge and reservations agent were checking the in-house guest list, when they discovered that one of the Club guests - a woman from Japan - was having a birthday. They decided to surprise the guest. Since the guest was in Russia away from her family and friends, they decided to prepare the guest a birthday card in her native Japanese language. The reservations agent immediately searched on the Internet and found the Japanese translation of "Happy Birthday." Once the phrase was found, the two realized that they were presented with a challenge, as the characters were hard to copy. They took turns and carefully copied the phrase on the birthday card. Then, they arranged to have a birthday cake delivered to the room and placed the card next to the cake.

In the evening, the guest came up to the Club Lounge. She was beaming with joy and had a card in her hand. She appreciated the gesture so much that she insisted on leaving them some flowers.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

A family with three young children arrived at the hotel for a business/leisure weekend. On the last night of their stay, they dined in the hotel's signature restaurant, The Vernona, which specializes in entirely organic cuisine.

Upon closing of the restaurant, the server attendant found a small stuffed animal tucked underneath a seat cushion. A server immediately recognized that the stuffed animal belonged to one of the young children who had dined at the restaurant earlier that evening. It was too late to return the stuffed animal then, so they planned a fun way to present the toy the next day. They grabbed the community camera behind the front desk and positioned the stuffed animal to look like it was dining in the restaurant, playing the piano and cooking in the kitchen. At each location, they captured the moment on camera, and then made a storyline to go with each photo. They then printed all the photos and created a book of "animal adventures" for the young guest.

The picture book and stuffed animal made its way to the guest's door at 9a.m. the next morning. The young boy was jumping out of his skin with excitement when he saw his lost companion, and his mother responded, "The Ritz-Carlton always goes that extra mile - this is why my family will only travel to your hotels."

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

On a very cold and wet Saturday in January, two Gentlemen from Engineering noticed that a group of girls were playing on the grand staircase and running around the hallways on the ground level. As they walked back to Engineering, they started talking about what they could do for these guests who were obviously full of energy and frustrated about the weather outside. They decided on setting up an indoor soccer field in a ballroom. It turns out this was the perfect idea since the girls were actually members of a soccer team from Miami who were in town to play in a tournament. The girls were thrilled that they could play the game that they loved.

By the end of the evening, their siblings and parents joined the girls. The parents were thrilled that this was set up for their children and were "blown away" by the Gentlemen's actions. One of the Gentlemen even made a card for the team that recognized them as "the official soccer team of The Ritz-Carlton, Naples."

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

A businessman was a guest at the hotel with a repeat group who had stayed at the hotel only once before - one year prior for the same conference. When the guest was at the hotel a year ago, he was having dinner in one of the ballrooms and asked a banquet server if it was possible to get his favorite soda beverage. The server informed him that the hotel did not serve that beverage, but he would see what he could do.

Within a few moments, the server came back with the requested beverage. And every night for the rest of the conference when they were having dinner, the server had the favorite drink waiting for this guest.

Already amazed by the past experience, the guest never expected what happened at the conference the next year. He was sitting in one of the ballrooms having dinner, and in walked his same server from the year before with the beverage in hand. The server completely shocked and delighted the guest by remembering his favorite beverage, even after a year's time.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.

Hotel Arts Barcelona

The guest relations manager met with a couple from Alaska during their check-in. After, she escorted the couple to the hotel's restaurant and learned that they were actually on their honeymoon and had gotten married only a couple of weeks before. The husband also mentioned that it was his first time in Europe. They were on a cruise ship and were spending two nights at the hotel.

Immediately, the guest relations manager knew she wanted to make the couple's first time in Europe, especially on their honeymoon, a bit more memorable. She and her colleagues came up with the idea to prepare a tasting of some small dishes that would represent a variety of different countries in Europe. Together with members of the kitchen staff, they chose the countries of Spain, Italy, France, Sweden and the manager's home country, Hungary. The manager also asked the pastry chef to make a cake with a picture of the continent of Europe so they could match each dish with its country.

The following day, the guest relations manager and her colleagues worked with the hotel's culinary team to prepare the meal for the guests. When they delivered the meal, the guests were genuinely thrilled by the gesture and couldn't believe the staff went through all of that trouble to make their short stay memorable. Upon check-out, they mentioned that this was the highlight of their honeymoon, and they would soon be returning to a Ritz-Carlton in the future.

We are pleased to share these true stories experienced by guests at various Ritz-Carlton properties. These stories are shared as examples of unique experiences. Each guest experience varies by circumstances, location and hotel. Certain experiences may not be available or charges may apply.